Vice President JD Vance delivered a sharp warning to Israeli officials on Thursday, urging them not to publicly undermine President Donald Trump’s newly announced agreement with Iran and reminding them that Trump remains Israel’s strongest ally on the world stage.
The comments marked one of the clearest signs yet of growing tensions between the Trump administration and some members of Israel’s government over the controversial Iran memorandum of understanding.
Speaking during a White House briefing, Vance pushed back against criticism coming from Israeli political figures who have attacked the agreement and questioned the administration’s strategy toward Tehran. The vice president said he had seen reports of Israeli frustration with the deal but argued that public attacks on Trump were misguided and potentially damaging to the U.S.-Israel relationship.
“I saw the Axios report, you know, that Netanyahu is fuming. That’s not reflective of the conversations that I’ve had with him, but maybe he’s saying something to somebody else that he’s not saying to me,” Vance said.
“What I will say, and this does bother me, is that you’ve seen people within Bibi’s cabinet who have come out and attacked the deal and, in some ways, very personally attacked the President of the United States.”
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“Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world superpower.” Vance continued, If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
“Bibi, to his credit, has not gone down this path, but to some of these cabinet members in Israel who are attacking the President of the United States, the other thing that I would say is that, over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars,” he finished.
The dispute centers on Trump’s recently unveiled agreement with Iran, which established a 60-day negotiating period aimed at transforming a temporary understanding into a long-term settlement. According to administration officials, the agreement is designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while also reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reducing tensions that have destabilized global energy markets for months.
Israeli officials, however, have expressed concerns about several provisions in the agreement. One particularly contentious clause reportedly requires Israel to halt military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and eventually withdraw forces from parts of Lebanese territory as part of a regional de-escalation effort. Critics inside Israel argue that such requirements could limit the country’s ability to respond to threats from Iranian-backed militant groups.
The comments come as the Trump administration begins the 60-day negotiation window outlined in the agreement. Vance said Iran has so far honored the initial terms of the deal, pointing to reduced attacks on shipping lanes and improving stability in the Strait of Hormuz. Administration officials hope those early signs will create momentum for a final agreement, though skeptics in both Washington and Jerusalem remain unconvinced.
For now, Vance appears determined to send a clear message to Israel’s leadership: disagreements over the Iran deal are expected, but publicly battling the Trump administration could come at a significant political cost. As negotiations move forward, the White House is signaling that it expects allies to support the process rather than undermine it.
